Nordstrom helps IceHogs end skid

Just for braving the weather and showing up at BMO Harris Bank Center, all fans got a voucher for a select future game on what was marketed as Beat The Freeze Night. The turnout of 4,145 was also hoping to see a select 'Hogs win, as that has been a rare sight lately.

They went home happy on both accounts, as Rockford prevailed 4-2 to end what had been the AHL's longest current winless streak at seven (0-5-1-1).

It feels really good to be back on the winning track," said Joakim Nordstrom, the game's No. 1 star with two goals and an assist. "We were close last night (a 3-2 shootout loss to Iowa), but only got one point. It's nice to get the two points.

"I think we've been playing good for a couple of games. But we haven't been able to come out with a 'W.' So it's nice it paid off tonight."

The crowd also got to witness the IceHogs debut of veteran goalie Jason LaBarbera, who made 31 saves and was Star No. 2 on the evening. He was in New Jersey on Friday night for the Chicago Blackhawks game, arrived in town between 2-3 a.m. and then was at morning skate at 9 a.m.

Rockford (16-16-3-1) never had led Grand Rapids (23-9-1-2) this season - then led 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0 this time.

Grand Rapids cut it to 3-2, so Rockford's lead wasn't secure until Garret Ross got an unassisted empty-netter at 19:15.

"We've been losing games lately, so maybe our confidence wasn't the best," Nordstrom said of the team's mindset when its lead was trimmed to one goal. "We dominated big parts, maybe the whole first period. So we just tried to calm down and go back to what we were doing in the first period, with our skating and putting a lot of pressure on loose pucks."

Rockford led 3-0 after Jeremy Morin scored at 3:49 of the second. Nordstrom had struck at 4:17 of the first, deflecting a Brett Skinner shot, and then tallied on a penalty shot at :43 of the second.

Grand Rapids snuck close on a short-handed score by Cory Emmerton and a power-play conversion by Riley Sheehan before the second intermission.

The 'Hogs did extend their stretch of games with 30 or more shots on goal to 12. They have allowed power-play goals in seven straight games now. In contrast, Grand Rapids has killed off 28 of its last 29 penalty kills over seven games.

The Griffins entered the evening leading the AHL in fewest goals allowed at 2.32 per contest.